Metrolife: Young directors changing rules

There’s a palpable change in the Kannada film industry with a surge of young talent. A lot of young filmmakers approach me with their scripts; one-third I agree to act in and two-thirds I don’t accept.

I must say that I find the thought process of these youngsters to be very different. At a time when filmmaking is as easy as shooting on a mobile phone, these youngsters bring in some fresh ideas and insights.

In the last four years, I’ve had so many scripts coming my way from youngsters aged between 25 and 30. They come up with some good themes that are raw and haven’t really been explored before. Uncharted territory doesn’t stop them; I see a lot of enthusiasm in them.

I have a few scripts that I am working on at the moment and they are all by young filmmakers. People like Hemanth, Rishab Shetty and Prashanth Neel have sprung new ideas every time they set out to make a film.

I have also noticed that sometimes what is written in the script doesn’t get translated on screen. This is what contributes to the failure of the film.

I have also observed that many of the youngsters who set out to make films are in some way anti-establishment and are very angry with the system. And their scripts reflect that emotion. They have sound aesthetics but sometimes lack the wherewithal or a comprehensive view of how to go about the job and that’s why they stumble.

While script reading gives me an insight into the new talents in town, working on projects gives me an opportunity to interact and mix with a young team of filmmakers.

I am from a theatre background and I have worked in all aspects of theatre presentations - backstage, scripting and dialogues. I have been part of teams that have adapted, translated and adopted plays in Kannada from other languages.

I try and pass on some of the things that I learnt about the art of filmmaking to the youngsters I work with.

I believe that cinema is a visual medium and you don’t really need many dialogues; whatever is there has to be powerful and should convey something solid. This is something I tell each and every young filmmaker who works with me.

Trying to get them to think on their own, I also make them realise that there is no yardstick, model or formula to make films. Ultimately, cinema should hold the attention of the audience. Aesthetics combined with creative sense, good visuals and strong dialogues go a long way.